MMDA warns of heavier traffic starting this June

Metro Manila motorists should expect heavier traffic starting in June due to the possible resumption of face-to-face classes, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said Friday.

“Before elections nag-conduct kami ng volume count. Ang lumabas sa aming bilang, 400,000 which is sa EDSA. [It] is 5,000 less na lang sa pre-pandemic level na 405,000,” MMDA Chairperson Romando Artes said in an interview on Balitanghali.

(Before elections we conducted a volume count. Based on our count, 400,000 were in EDSA. That’s 5,000 less than the pre-pandemic level of 405,000.)

“’Yan ay wala pa po ‘yung face-to-face classes. Kaya ine-expect [namin] na pagdating ng June, ‘pag tuloy po ang face-to-face classes, ay mas bibigat ang traffic dahil mabe-breach na ‘yung 405,000 na pre-pandemic,” he said.

(That’s before the resumption of face-to-face classes. That's why we’re expecting that in June, traffic will be heavier because it will breach the 405,000 pre-pandemic volume.)

Travel speeds

However, Artes said the MMDA expected faster travel speeds in the capital region despite the heavier traffic build-up.

This was due to the implementation of the EDSA bus carousel and the improved infrastructure such as bridges and the Skyway.

“We expect na mas mabilis pa rin po sa pre-pandemic na travel speed dahil, unang-una, yung epekto ng bus carousel at pagbabawal na pumasok ang provincial buses sa ngayon sa Kamaynilaan… Ganun din po yung mga infrastructure projects lalo na yung mga binuksan na mga tulay at Skyway. Malaki rin po ang epekto nyan,” said Artes.

(We expect that travel speed will be faster than the pre-pandemic speeds. That’s because of the bus carousel, our provincial bus scheme as well as the infrastructure projects such as bridges and the Skyway. Those would have a significant impact.)

“Kaya po in terms of speed ng vehicles mas mabilis po pre-pandemic levels although asahan po natin during rush hour ay magiging mabigat ang daloy,” he said.

(That’s why in terms of speed of vehicles, it will be faster than pre-pandemic levels. Although we should expect heavy traffic during rush hour.)

Last month, the MMDA proposed a new number coding scheme to reduce the number of vehicles plying Metro Manila roads by 40 percent.

Under the new coding system, private vehicles will be prohibited from traversing the affected roads for two days from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Plate numbers ending 1 and 2 will be on Monday and Wednesday; those ending in 3 and 4 on Monday and Thursday; 5 and 6 every Tuesday and Thursday; 7 and 8 Tuesday and Friday; and 9 and 0 every Wednesday and Friday.

The proposal was forwarded to the Metro Manila Council (MMC) and was expected to be implemented starting May 1, 2022.

On May 13, Artes reported the implementation would be deferred as the MMDA and MMC opted to conduct further studies on the said scheme before being applied in the region. — DVM, GMA News